Improvement in floating signal-lights



FLOATING SIGNAL-LIGHT.

No. 190,979. Patented May' 22,1877.

NJETERS, PKOTO-LITHOGRAPNER. WASHINGTON, D C.

zsh t-sh tz. P.. PINTscH. ee s ee .FLUA-TING SIGNAL-LIGHT. N0- 190,979. l N Patented May ZZ, 1877.

DLPETEHB, WASHINGTON. l.) C.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Prion RICHARD-PINTSCH, OF BERLIN, PRUSSIA.

IMPIO'VEMENT IN FLOATING SIGNAL-LIGHTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l90,979, dated May 22, 1877 application filed January 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, RICHARD PINTscH, of Berlin, Prussia, engineer, have invented an lmprovement in Floating Lights; and do hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

.hereinafter referred to, forms a full andy exact specification ofthe same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvement, by which my invention may be distinguished from others of a similar class, together with such parts as I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent-that is to say:

This invention relates more particularly to improved means and apparatus whereby buoys moored oli' the sea-coast, or iu other waterways, are rendered available as floating lights, for indicating their position at night or in dark weather, such apparatus being also available for use in light-ships, or for oating lights generally.

The invention consists, mainly, in utilizing such buoys as recipientsfor illuminating-gas under pressure, which is supplied thereto at intervals from a reservoir on board a boat by means of iiexible hose temporarily attached to an inlet-pipe, with stop-cock on the buoy. A vertical tube leads from the latter to a lantern raised some height above the water-level, in which are one or more gas-burners, supplied with gas from the interior of the buoy, a regulator being provided at any convenient point of the supply-pipe for reducing the pressure of the gas, as it passesyfrom the buoy, to the ordinary pressure of illuminating-gas before it issues from the burner or burners.

The construction and the arrangement of such apparatus, which I prefer to employ for the purposes of my invention, are shown on the accompanying drawing, in Which- Figure 1 shows an elevation of the buoy and lantern. Figs. 2 and 3 show an enlarged vertical section, respectively, of the lantern and of the casing below. Figs. 4 to 6 show crosssections, taken respectively on lines gh, a b, and c d, Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section, and Fig. 8 a cross-section at X X, of a device for connecting the charging-hose to the inlet-pipe of the buoy, for filling the latter with gas.

The recipient or buoy B, Fig. 1, is constructed of strong sheet metal, of cylindrical or other suitable form, capable of withstanding considerable internal pressure. It is secured at its lower end to any suitable moorings, in the usual manner, and has fixed on its upper end a tube, D, strengthened by stays, and carrying at its upper end a casing, A, surmounted by a lantern, C.

The tube D serves both to convey the supply of gas under pressure from the chargingreservoir into the buoy, and to conduct the gas from the buoy to the burner m2 in the lantern. For the rst-named purpose the tube has at its upper end, within the casing A, a side branch, f, the communication between which and the tube is closed by a screwvalve, F. The branch f has a coned recess at its end, as shown, for receiving the coned end v of the nozzle V, Fig. 7, the branch Vl of which is attached to a flexible pipe leading to the chargingreservoir.

For charging the buoy, the boat, with the reservoir for compressed gas, is brought close alongside, and a sliding door, A', in the casing being opened, the end c of the nozzle V is placed inside the socket of the branch f, and is forced gas-tight therein by means of a screw, c', carried by a sleeve, V2, connected to the nozzle, and having a claw, embracing a collar on the branch f, as shown. The nozzle having been securely fixed, the screw-valve F is opened, and the compressed gas is allowed to iiow from the reservoir into the buoy until the pressure gage M, fixed on another branch pipe, f2, indicates that the gas in the buoy has attained the required degree of compression. The valve F is then again closed and the supply-hose detached. The compressed gas now passes from the buoy, through the passage f2 and pipe m, into the regulator R, which is, by preference, of the same construction as that described in my previous patent of 4th May, 1875, No.162,946,in which the gas iiowing from the pipe m passes, through the dust-collector r" and valve r6, into the chamber R, in which is a lever f5, connected to the valve r6, and also to an impermeable flexible diaphragm, r2, by a rod, r4, so thatthe pressure of the gas entering the chamber tends to raise the diaphragm, and so to close the inlet-valve more or less.

A spring, r3, is connected to and acts upon the lever T5, in such a manner as to hold the valve open in the exact position for admitting sufcient gas to maintain the required pressure in the regulator. A second spring, rs, is also connected to the lever r and to the stem of the valve, so that when the lantern is made to assume an inclined or nearly horizontal position by the action of the waves, this spring will replace the action of gravity in pulling the valve open after it has been closed through excess of pressure.

From the regulator the gas passes, through the passage r1 and cock r, to the pipe m1, whence it passes to the burner m2. The cock r can be turned from outside the casing to adjust the dame of the burner.

The lantern consists of two concentric glass cylinders, I J, fitting with their upper and lower ends air-tight against caoutchouc packing k k in undercut grooves formed in nil-tal rings G H, of which H is fixed to the casing A, while G is tied down to H by means of tiebolts X. The top of the lantern is closed by a cover, T, hinged to the ring G at j, and tting with beveled rims t, in an air-tight inanner, against corresponding rims on G, and secured by a catch, t. The cover has, first, a chimney, S, into which the products of combustion from the burner are led through the chimney y, which is, by preference, of oval transverse section, as shown at Fig. 4, and is supported by the upper reilector y. The chimney S is closed by a cap, s, at top, the gases being made to escape through the conical piece sl and holes o, protected by the windguard s2 s3, and also by a projecting rim, s4, against the action of the wind. and also against the ingress of Water-spray. The air for supporting combustion enters through the wind guard t2, and, passing through holes Z into the annular space between the two glass cylinders I J, descends therein, and issues through holes Zl in the ring H into the space below the reflector K, whence it passes, through a number of small holes, i, in the reflector, into the interior of the lantern. Any water-spray that may possibly find its way through the wind-guard will ow oli' through the holes Z Z, and through other holes, Z2, in the bottom of the casing A, without interfering with the action of the lamp.

It will be readily understood that the above. described arrangement of a reservoir for compressed illuminating-gas, in combination with the regulator and lantern, may also be used with advantage on board light-ships without further invention.

Having thus described the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim- 1. 'Ihe combination of a buoy or floating recipient for compressed illuminating-gas with a lamp and a regulating apparatus, for reducing the pressure of the gas as it passes from the recipient to the burner, substantially as herein described.

2. An illuminating apparatus for floating lights, consisting of a recipient for compressed illuminating-gas, with charging-inlet closed by a valve, combined with a regulator and gasburner, arranged and operating substantially as herein described.

3. In a lantern for floating lights, the combination ofthe two concentric cylinders which surround the burner with the wind-guard t2 and perforated reflector K, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In lanterns for floating lights, the concentric glass cylinders I J, secured with caoutchouc packing k in metal rings G H, having holes Z for the inlet of air, in combination with the hinged cover T and chimney S, arranged and operating substantially as herein de scribed.

5. In illuminating apparatus for floating lights, the lantern H G I J, with burner m2, in combination with the closed casing A, containing the regulator R and charging-inlet F, communicating with the tube D, substantially as herein described.

6. In a lantern for iloating lights, the combination of chimney S, and its conical piece and cap, with the wind-guard and the burner and its chimney, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD PINTSGH.

Witnesses BERTHOLD R01, ROBERT GOTTHEIL. 

